Conference to Review Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons

On the penultimate day of its week-long session, members of the Preparatory Committee fine-tuned a draft report to be sent to the Second Review Conference on the Programme of Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons, to be held in New York from 27 August to 7 September 2012.

Members held formal and informal discussions throughout the day to finalize the draft report of the Preparatory Committee (document A/CONF.192/2012/PC/L.2). Submitted by Chair Joy Ogwu (Nigeria), the draft report covers organizational matters, including the election of officers, the endorsement of the nomination of a President and Secretary-General for the Review Conference, as well as the provisional agenda for the event. The Preparatory Committee also considered the draft rules of procedure for the Review Conference (document A/CONF.192/2006/RC/5).

The Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects was adopted in 2001. Gravely concerned about the illicit small arms trade, those States committed to a series of actions to prevent, combat and eradicate it. They also recognized the wide range of humanitarian and socio-economic consequences of the trade, and the serious threat they posed to peace, security, stability and sustainable development.

Commenting today on procedural and technical aspects of the draft report were representatives of the United Republic of Tanzania, Iran, Algeria, Sweden, Morocco, New Zealand, Egypt, Madagascar, Switzerland, South Africa, Norway, Syria, Mexico, Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Indonesia, Jamaica (on behalf of the Caribbean Community), Kenya, Nigeria, Australia, Rwanda, Ghana and the United States. Representatives of the European Union delegation and the Observer Mission of the Holy See also spoke.

The Preparatory Committee will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Friday, 23 March, to take action on its draft report and decide on all outstanding issues before concluding its session.

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Daily Noon Briefing

The Secretary-General condemned today’s murder of a Palestinian child in the West Bank and called for the perpetrators of that terrorist act to be promptly brought to justice. He expressed his deepest condolences to the family of Ali Dawabsha, who were themselves severely injured in the arson attack. He urged both sides to take bold steps to return to the path of peace.